With weekend warriors revving up to head outdoors for the long weekend, a leading public health official in Calgary urged the provincial government to move ahead with ATV safety legislation meant to keep youth safe. Dr. Brent Friesen, Alberta Health Services medical officer of health in Calgary, said pediatric data shows it’s not safe for youth to drive ATVs.

With weekend warriors revving up to head outdoors for the long weekend, a leading public health official in Calgary urged the provincial government to move ahead with ATV safety legislation meant to keep youth safe.

“Other jurisdictions have found legislation to be a very effective way of reducing the carnage related to the operation of ATVs, particularly for young children,” Friesen said on Friday.

“From the public health professional perspective, we know that legislation is a very effective strategy, and that’s one of the approaches in Alberta we need to strengthen.”

According to statistics released by AHS on Friday, between May 1 and July 26, 38 Alberta children have been injured on ATVs. Among them, 14 youth were seriously injured and had to be admitted to emergency wards in Calgary or Edmonton’s children’s hospitals. Two children died from their injuries.

“The reality is, they (youth) just do not have the physical body build or strength to be able to safely manage and operate that vehicle. They’re being placed into very risky situations with risk for injury, which is what our statistics are showing us,” Friesen said.

The provincial health authority has urged the Alberta government to make helmets mandatory for all riders, and to put in place driving restrictions for youth aged 16 and younger, said Friesen.

Earlier this spring, the provincial government said it would begin examining the issue.

A spokeswoman for Alberta Transportation said conversations with various groups are underway.

The province, however, is looking only at whether to make helmets mandatory for drivers and passengers under the age of 18, if operating on public land — not for all drivers. Further, the Alberta government isn’t considering age restrictions, she said.

“Right now it’s consultations and discussions, and that’s as far as it’s gone to date,” Christine Wronko said.

The provincial government also has an education program in place, and is further “encouraging and stressing the vital role that personal and parental responsibility play in this.”

Between April 2013 and March 2014, more than 350 children have been seen in Alberta’s ERs for ATV-related injuries, according to AHS; 23 children under the age of 16 have died between 2002 and 2011.

Liberal MLA David Swann, who has been advocating for a mandatory helmet law, said education doesn’t go far enough. “This is not a government that is taking leadership, it’s a government that’s really neglecting the prevention side of our public policy responsibilities, and it’s paying hugely in terms of human suffering and health-care costs by not taking action.”

According to Friesen, while consultation among riders and other groups affected by potential legislation may take time, the work toward putting in place safety rules is worth it.

“It’s a challenging issue and we realize it’s a challenging issue. These vehicles have been out there, marketed to people, people have purchased them in one understanding,” Friesen said.

“As health professionals, as we get the research coming in showing quite clearly there needs to be the protection in terms of the helmet legislation and the changes in terms of age operation, certainly we’d like to see it put in place as soon as possible, but we also realize there is a process of consultation and engagement with the public.”

The health authority also sent out a reminder to adult ATV users heading out for long weekend adventures to ensure they’re wearing proper gear, have undergone training and to drive sober.

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